Can I design the Funeral Ceremony?

These days, many people wish to make the funeral a special celebration of someone’s life, and the ceremony or service has become much more personalised and individual.

At James R Hill Funeral Directors our funeral directors have been involved in guiding many families through numerous personal remembrances where people want to do things differently, with special meaning to the deceased and to his or her family and friends.

For example, in the days after death leading up to the funeral, family members often choose to have the deceased at home or on a marae. This is popular with both Maori and Pacific Island families, as well as with New Zealanders of all ethnicities who derive great comfort form this experience.

If family and friends are travelling from overseas for the funeral it may be necessary to delay the service, in which case embalming may be recommended.

The funeral ceremony is important for family and friends to share their sorrow, and is an opportunity to celebrate the life of the person who has passed – to remember the good times, the humorous moments, their favourite music, their unique contributions, and to hear tributes and stories from people of all ages. It is good for children to be involved too, if they have been part of the deceased’s life.

Some of the important elements in designing a funeral service are:

Movement – how the casket is transported during the service, who will carry it; and whether you want special music, movement, dancing or a guard of honor.

Symbols – things that carry meaning and demonstrate what was important to the person who has passed, such as flowers from their garden, books and poems, candles, photographs, videos or a bible.

Music – what music they most enjoyed. This can vary from classical to rock, country to opera, hymns to pop music. PowerPoint technology is also available for the showing of photographs and visual mementoes.

Whether you need to plan a funeral now or wish to prepare for the future, we are happy to provide you with a free funeral pack which contains material about James R Hill and the professional services we offer.